Minor Transactions: 11/14/17
As always, we’ll keep track of all the league’s minor moves right here. Keep refreshing this throughout the day.
- The Washington Capitals have loaned Tyler Graovac to the AHL on a long-term conditioning stint. That allows the Capitals to move Graovac down without having to send him through waivers for the time being. The 24-year old forward hasn’t played since October 17th, but must be healthy enough to get back on the ice.
- Nikita Soshnikov is at practice with the Toronto Maple Leafs and has been called up to replace Frederik Gauthier. Today is when Soshnikov’s KHL out-clause kicks in, meaning he would have to be called up or risk him going back to Russia. While it doesn’t seem like Soshnikov is itching to leave North America, it’s an easy call-up to make at this point. Interestingly though, if Soshnikov plays three more games in the NHL he will lose his waiver-exempt status.
- The Los Angeles Kings have recalled Andrew Crescenzi from the AHL, giving him a chance to get into his first NHL game. The 25-year old Crescenzi has been in the Kings’ system for several years but has yet to get a sniff of the NHL lineup. While there is no guarantee this time around, it at least will provide him with a big-league paycheck for a few days.
- After allowing five goals in the third period last night, the St. Louis Blues have made a change up front. The team has assigned Beau Bennett to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Bennett has played six games for the Blues this year but has yet to register a single point. The 25-year old forward last cleared waivers on September 28th, but hasn’t used up the allotted 30 active roster days (or 10 games) yet, and thus can be sent down without clearing again.
Vadim Shipachyov Signs With SKA St. Petersburg Of The KHL
Now-former Golden Knights center Vadim Shipachyov wasted little time finding his next place to play as he has signed a one-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg, the KHL team announced. This comes on the heels of him finalizing his NHL retirement back on Thursday. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express in Russia reports (Twitter link) that the contract is worth $500K, well off the $4.5MM cap hit he had in the NHL.
Shipachyov is no stranger to SKA having spent the past four seasons there before crossing the pond to try his hand at the NHL back in May. In 205 regular season games with the team during that span, he had 67 goals and 155 assists.
Things didn’t go as well with Vegas, however. He wound up starting the season in the minors at least in part due to his waiver exemption and while he did get into three games with the Golden Knights, it wasn’t long before he was sent back down and at that time, Shipachyov decided he’d rather return back home than continue to pursue an NHL spot. Doing so will also free him up for the Olympics, assuming the Russian Federation is allowed to participate and the KHL allows its players to go, two things that have come into question over the past week.
Even though the contract is only for the rest of this season, the 30-year-old won’t be able to try to return to the NHL next season. As part of the agreement with him filing NHL retirement papers, the Golden Knights will retain Shipachyov’s rights through his age-35 season and considering how things went the first time around, it’s highly likely that he will opt to stay in the KHL for the foreseeable future.
Colorado To Recall Kamenev As Soon As Possible
Yesterday we discussed the package the Colorado Avalanche received in return for Matt Duchene, but one of the overlooked pieces so far has been Vladislav Kamenev. The 21-year old center might not be as exciting as Samuel Girard, but is another legitimate NHL prospect with some intriguing upside. Today, while the Avalanche prepare for their series against the Ottawa Senators in Sweden, GM Joe Sakic told Igor Eronko of Sport-Express that the team will bring Kamenev up as soon as possible. He would have even liked to bring him to Stockholm, if visa issues had not prevented him.
Kamenev reported to the San Antonio Rampage after the trade, and registered an assist in his first game. That gives him nine points in 11 games this season, after scoring 59 last season. Selected with the 42nd-overall pick in 2014, the 6’2″ forward is a solid two-way player and gives the Avalanche even more depth down the middle. Obviously with the loss of Duchene the NHL center position is weakened, but with Nathan MacKinnon, Alex Kerfoot, Tyson Jost, J.T. Compher and now Kamenev all 23-and-under with plenty of experience in the middle the future looks bright.
Sakic also addressed the idea that Kamenev could return to the KHL when his contract expires, telling Eronko he’s not worried about that.
I think he wants to play in the NHL and he’s an NHL player. I’m sure once he comes up he doesn’t want to go anywhere else. He’ll enjoy growing with that group. We wanted to get younger, get those young guys and grow together.
Kamenev’s entry-level contract will expire at the end of the 2018-19 season, and there will be plenty of eyes on him by then. If he does come up right away, he’ll be given every opportunity to succeed with the team right away. Colorado is off to a good start, but is focused on the long-term growth of the team.
On that note, Girard looks like he’ll get into the games in Sweden for Colorado which will force them to make a decision quickly after returning. Girard has played five games so far this season, and if he plays 10 he’ll burn a year of his entry-level contract. The Avalanche will have to decide whether sticking with their team for the whole year is worth it, or whether he should go back to the QMJHL. For Nashville, that decision was likely going to lean towards junior because of their already stellar group of defensemen. In Colorado, there’s no telling how much ice time Girard could earn himself.
Vadim Shipachyov Retirement Official
According to Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Vadim Shipachyov‘s deal with the NHL is official. After a negotiation between the NHL and NHLPA, Shipachyov will retire from the league and pay back almost all of his $2MM signing bonus. He’ll move to the voluntary retirement list and his full contract will be cleared from the Golden Knights salary cap. His NHL rights will be retained by Vegas until he turns 35, but will now be allowed to seek out a new contract in the KHL.
The two sides didn’t seek a mutual termination, because Shipachyov would have first needed to pass through waivers and then could have technically been signed by another team in the league. Obviously, the Golden Knights didn’t want to lose the asset to another team for nothing, so a different agreement was made. Like Ilya Kovalchuk, Shipachyov’s retirement will keep him out of the NHL for at least five years though it’s more likely that he’ll never return. After three games and a single goal, the $9MM experiment is over. Interestingly, Vegas GM George McPhee admitted today that they did have a deal in place for Shipachyov to go somewhere else in the NHL, but the player didn’t want that. Shipachyov instead wished to just return to the KHL.
Whatever you think of how this situation was handled, at least Shipachyov can now return home to a league where he wants to play. He obviously didn’t want to suit up any longer in the AHL, and the Golden Knights clearly no longer had him in their top-6 plans up front. Incredibly though, he’ll actually go down with some impressive small-sample stats. Shipachyov scored just the lone goal, but attempted eight shots towards the net and actually won nine of 12 of the 21 draws he took. He’ll finish his three-game NHL career with positive possession stats and at 57% in the circle. Fans will be left wondering if that impact could have been carried out for the entire season, or if he wasn’t ever going to fit in perfectly with the North American game.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see him quickly sign with SKA St. Petersburg again, the team he helped to a Gagarin Cup victory last season. SKA is off to an incredible 28-1 record this season, led by Kovalchuk and Nikita Gusev with 36 points each. Gusev is a name Vegas fans should remember, as his NHL rights are also owned by the Golden Knights. They were acquired as part of the trade from Tampa Bay to get the Golden Knights to select Jason Garrison in the expansion draft, and will be a big story going forward. Gusev is just 25-years old, but has now watched his teammate and countryman go through a trying experience with the expansion team.
Gusev’s KHL contract isn’t up until April 2019, but there was some hope that he would terminate it early in order to jump to the NHL. A seventh-round pick because of the fear he would stay in Russia, Gusev is obviously talented enough to play in the NHL. Last season he scored 94 points in 75 games for SKA, and dominated the World Championships with 14 points in 10 games including a tournament-leading seven goals. You have to wonder how the Shipachyov situation will affect Gusev’s decision down the line.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
St. Louis Potentially Pursuing Danis Zaripov
According to a report out of Russia from Vadim Kuznetsov, the St. Louis Blues have offered a contract to suspended KHL forward Danis Zaripov. The story quotes the 36-year old himself, who explains that nothing is imminent. Zaripov received a two-year suspension from the IIHF for doping, but was cleared to seek a contract in the NHL due to the fact that the substance is not prohibited in the league’s own doping policy. Zaripov had been tenuously linked to the Lightning and Penguins previously, and also apparently had two offers in hand at the beginning of September. It’s unclear if this mention of St. Louis means a new contract offer, or one that had previously been submitted.
Zaripov is a legendary KHL player, known as one of the best “clutch” performers the league has ever known. He’s taken home the Gagarin Cup as league champion four times, and has scored an incredible 114 points in 127 playoff contests. He’s also been part of five medal-winning World Championship teams, including taking home the Gold three times. In that tournament, he’s registered 49 points in 45 games.
Nearly 20 years ago, Zaripov also had a short stint in North American hockey. In 1998-99, a teenaged sniper came over to the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL and put up 23 goals in 62 games. He returned to Russia the next season, and has stayed there ever since.
There is quite a bit of risk in signing Zaripov, especially in light of what has happened with Vadim Shipachyov. Because Zaripov is over 35, if something didn’t work out and he was forced to “retire” in the same fashion, his cap hit would remain. For many teams taking that chance poses too much risk, even for a player who has been about as consistent as you find in the KHL. Zaripov is third all-time in KHL scoring, only behind Alexander Radulov and Sergei Mozyakin.
Nikita Soshnikov With KHL Out Clause
Like Alexei Bereglazov earlier this month, another KHL player could return to Russia if not called up soon. According to TSN’s Insider Trading Nikita Soshnikov of the Toronto Maple Leafs has a clause in his deal which would allow him to return to the KHL should he not be called up by November 14th. As Pierre Lebrun of The Athletic points out, he also is just three games away from becoming waiver-eligible.
For what it’s worth, Soshnikov’s agent apparently says the forward wants to stay in the NHL and since he’s regularly been the AHL Marlies’ best player this season one would believe the Maple Leafs would do everything they could to keep him in North America. The problem though, is where to fit him onto the roster.
The Maple Leafs called up Frederik Gauthier today to replace Kasperi Kapanen because of the minor injury to Auston Matthews, giving them some center help should their star have to sit out a day. Beyond that roster spot, there isn’t much room in Toronto. Josh Leivo, another talented winger hasn’t been able to crack the Maple Leafs lineup for any length of time and is waiver-eligible himself. He’d almost certainly be claimed if the team tried to send him to the minor leagues.
You wouldn’t want the 24-year old Soshnikov just sitting around with the NHL club for very long, so perhaps his clause would expedite another move by Toronto. They do have three forwards on expiring contracts in James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov, and likely don’t have room for more than one of them past this season. The team has young players to pay, and the trio of veterans are probably a little too pricey to keep around. The team obviously has their eye on a postseason run, but moving one of their pending unrestricted free agents for defensive help, only to replace them with NHL-ready Soshnikov or Kapanen could be a prudent course of action.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Alexei Bereglazov Loaned To KHL
Last we heard on Alexei Bereglazov, a decision was to be made in early November on whether the would utilize his out clause and return to the KHL. The New York Rangers defender has been playing in the AHL all season after being a sought-after free agent this summer. Now here we are in early November, and the head coach of Magnitogorsk has told Alexei Shevchenko of Sport-Express that Bereglazov will be heading back to his former Russian team while Larry Brooks of the New York Post confirms the assignment with the team.
Bereglazov, 23, was one of several KHL players to come over this summer in hopes of making a name for themselves in the NHL. He joined the likes of Jakub Jerabek, Victor Antipin and Vadim Shipachyov as undrafted players who suited up in Russia last season, only to be pulled over to North America. That group is obviously a mixed bag, with only Antipin playing more than a handful of NHL games so far.
The Rangers will maintain rights to Bereglazov, and could bring him back next season. For now, he’ll technically play as a loan to Magnitogorsk, burning the first year of his entry-level contract. While it hasn’t worked in New York so far, this is better news than a potential termination or retirement like the Shipachyov situation.
KHL Could Block Players From Participating In Olympics If Russia Is Banned
The KHL may consider blocking its players from participating in the upcoming Olympics if the Russian Federation is banned from participating as a result of the doping scandal from the 2014 Games, Sport-Express’ Igor Eronko reports (Twitter link). The league has scheduled a lengthy break during the season (from January 24th through February 25th) to coincide with the event so even if they do stop their players from going, all of them will still be off for a month.
While that would clearly take Russia out of the equation, it would also wreak havoc on several other countries that are likely to draw from KHL teams as well. For the Karjala Cup (which teams are using as a pre-Olympics camp) that gets underway next week, Canada has 16 KHL players on their roster while Finland has 13, Sweden has 11, and the Czech Republic has nine. The United States, Switzerland, and Slovenia all have players in that league as well.
Although the possibility exists for athletes from countries that are barred from participating to play under a neutral flag, Russian players would not do so, Gennady Timchenko, chairman of the KHL Board of Directors and vice-president of Russia’s Olympic Committee, told R-Sport (link in Russian). In an interview with Eronko (link in Russian), IIHF President Rene Fasel stated that if Russia was not allowed to participate, they would not be replaced by another country for the tournament.
A final decision has not been made by the International Olympic Committee regarding Russia’s eligibility just yet nor has the KHL officially decided that they would block all of its players from participating in response to a ban though league president Dmitry Chernyshenko told Eronko (Twitter link) that he is prepared to do so if it comes to it. However, it appears that there is at least a chance that an already weaker Olympics in terms of availability of players could find itself drawing from even less of a talent pool.
P.A. Parenteau Signs With Yekaterinburg In The KHL
After being unable to land a spot with Detroit in training camp, veteran winger P.A. Parenteau has signed a one year with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg, the KHL team announced. He skated in four games with the Red Wings in the preseason, tallying one assist but the team instead opted to sign winger David Booth before the season got underway.
Last year, the 34-year-old spent the majority of the season with New Jersey (after being claimed off waivers from the Islanders at the end of training camp) where he fared relatively well, recording 13 goals and 14 assists in 59 games. He was dealt to the Predators at the trade deadline to serve as extra depth but he was a frequent healthy scratch, particularly in the postseason where he played in just five of 22 games.
Although it looks like his NHL playing days may now be over, Parenteau has still had a successful NHL career. He was largely an afterthought after being a ninth rounder of Anaheim back in 2001 and it took him until 2010 before he became an NHL regular. Despite that, he has managed to put up four seasons of 40 points or more, including a 67-point campaign with the Islanders in 2011-12. Overall, he has played in 491 regular season games with eight different teams, tallying 114 goals and 182 assists.
As is the case with many veterans heading across the pond, it will be interesting to see if Parenteau garners any Olympic consideration. He isn’t on Canada’s entry for the Karjala Cup later this month but a strong start to his KHL season would certainly put him on their radar as productive forwards are in short supply with NHL players not being allowed to participate in the Olympics this time around.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nikita Popugaev Leaves WHL For KHL
It’s been a whirlwind twelve months for Nikita Popugaev and likely not in a good way for the career prospects of the New Jersey Devils prospect. The once-highly regarded young forward saw his stock drop prior to the draft and has struggled again to begin this season, leading to a departure from juniors that could have a major impact on his career.
Popugaev, 18, was hoping for 2017 to be a year to remember. Instead, it has been a year to forget. Heading into last season, the 6’6″, 205-lb. Russian import was considered a surefire first round pick. In 2015-16, he impressed in his first junior season, recording 47 points in 70 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors. The first half of 2016-17 was even better; Popugaev had an incredible 51 points in his first 40 games, including a team-leading 22 goals to that point. Yet, the Warriors decided to trade Popugaev to another WHL contender, the Prince George Cougars, in early January. The Cougars would eventually go on to win the WHL’s B.C. Division, but due in little part to the contributions of Popugaev. The young scorer’s production dropped off entirely in Prince George, as he registered only 18 points in 31 games following the trade.
Suddenly, the draft status of the big winger came under serious fire. The initial thought was that Popugaev had the scoring touch and stick skills to be a bona fide NHLer, but also size and strength that made him more pro-ready than many of his peers. However, his struggles with the Cougars exposed Popugaev as a selfish player who preferred trying to beat defenders one-on-one rather than using his new teammates. With a skating game that was still in development and a nonexistent defensive game, the doubts over Popugaev’s offense sent him quickly sliding down draft boards. Popugev ended up as a fourth-round pick of the Devils this June, the 98th overall selection when this time last year some considered him to be a top-15 possibility.
Yet, Popugaev had the chance to bounce back in a full season with Prince George in 2017-18 and prove wrong his critics. Only, through his first thirteen games, Popugaev has only two goals and seven points, accompanied by a -13 rating. Likely fed up with the downward spiral his career has been on since his trade to the Cougars in January, Popugaev decided today that enough was enough. They young Russian has decided to return home, as the KHL announced (link in Russian) that Popugaev has signed with CSKA Moskva. Not only is jumping ship to the KHL generally not a good move for young players, but Popugaev’s willingness to cross the Atlantic at his earliest opportunity to play Canadian junior had lessened some of the concerns regarding the “Russian factor”. Now, he has done exactly what many team fear and has abandoned one of the top developmental pathways in hockey to instead join the KHL, where he will have much less exposure and will adjust to a different style of game, even in what will likely be few minutes. In fact, Popugaev’s contract specifically allows him to be demoted not one but two levels below the KHL. Not only that, but it is a two-year deal.
In one year, Popugaev has gone from a top scorer in one of the best feeder leagues in North America and a potential NHL asset in short time to an afterthought returning to Russia out of frustration with his role and his draft slot. It’s certainly not the best look for the New Jersey prospect, but hopefully the move helps to get his career back on track.